WW 2 British Hospital Ship "El Nil" (ex Tjerimai)

[pigpenz2]

My late father-in-law (RAMC orderly) served on this vessel whilst she was a hospital ship. As best as the family can recall he was on her in Alexandria at some time and was on her when she was in the D-Day fleet.
But that is all we know, I have managed to find a very little about her on the web. But both I and my wife would really like to know much more about her. So if anyone has any knowledge of her history at any time during her career we'd be very grateful indeed.
Thanking you all in anticipation.

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[BrendanS]

Re: WW 2 British Hospital Ship \"El Nil\" (ex Tjerimai)

You may have found these already, but thought I'd post them anyway....


S/S TJERIMAI / EL NIL


Length: 135,2 m
Beam: 11 m
GRT: 7,599 t
Built: 1916 Reiherstieg Schiffswerft, Hamburg, Germany
Operator: Rotterdamsche Lloyd
Speed: 14 kn
Passengers: 248
Former names: Marie Woermann (2) 1916 Marie 1919, Wadai 1920-22
New names: El Nil 1933, Safina-E-Murad 1951-53
She was built for the Deutsche Ost-Afrika Linie for Germany - German East Africa run.
In 1920 she was handed over to Great Britain and in 1921 was sold to Rotterdamsche Lloyd for Rotterdam - Java service.
In 1933 she was sold to Société Misr de Navigation Maritime, Egypt and in 1943 became a British hospital ship. In 1951 sold to Pakistan and was scrapped at Karachi, Pakistan in 1953.


The S/S El Nil of Misr de Navigation Maritime 1933-51.
-----------------------
EL NIL
1942-1942
7769
Built in 1916 as MARIE WOERMANN for Woermann Linie, 1917 renamed WADAI, 1921 to Rotterdamsche Lloyd renamed TJERIMAI, 1933 sold renamed EL NIL, 1942 requisitioned, 1943 became hospitalship, Furness Withy & Co. managers, 1947 returned to owners, 1950 sold renamed SAFINA-E-MURAD, 1953 scrapped
--------------------------
Tjerimai 1921-1933

119: Ordered 1914 as Hamburg ship Marie Woermann, but passed to the Netherlands after WW1. She was laid up in 1930 when Dempo and Baloeran entered service. Sold in 1933, becoming Egyptian El Nil, but chartered by the British as a troopship 1940-50, managed by Furness-Withy. She was scrapped in 1954. (7690 grt, Passengers as built:- 1st: 140, 2nd: 80, 3rd: 40).

An official Rotterdam Lloyd card is shown below
http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/RotterdamLloydPCs.html#anchor36652

---------------------------------------------

order a photo
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:YmB4Bxq8u54J:www.pier21.ca/Ships_List.293.0.html+"El+Nil"+hospital+ship&hl=en&start=4&ie=UTF-8>click here</A>
--------------------------------------------
Photos taken in South Africa available to order. See 97
http://maritimemuseum.ac.za/jmmc/jmmce.html
--------------------------------

Australian maritime museum also has pictures
http://www.anmm.gov.au/lib/spixse.htm

---------------------------------


<hr width=100% size=1>Utinam logica falsa tuam philisophiam totam suffodiant

 

[pigpenz2]

Re: WW 2 British Hospital Ship \"El Nil\" (ex Tjerimai)

Hello Brendan
Just want to thank-you very much for taking the time and trouble to reply to my post, it is very much appreciated.
The first link was one that I had not found.
My late father-in-law always insisted that the vessel was used as a royal yacht by king Farouk though whether that was possible I don't know, seems a little implausible to me but you never know. I didn't mention it before because it just seemed so far fetched.
Anyway thanks again for you help and best wishes.
Richard.

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[hattiep]

Re: WW 2 British Hospital Ship \"El Nil\" (ex Tjerimai)

Hi!
I have a photograph of the El Nil that my Grandfather took (which i recently used to paint a watercolour of her) on the back he has written some dates of voages etc. I am also very interested in finding out about her and also the SS Circassia.


<hr width=100% size=1>All My Best,
Hattie

 

[rogier]

Re: WW 2 British Hospital Ship \"El Nil\" (ex Tjerimai)

Dear Brendan

Please can you kindly tell me where I can find information about HMHS Cambridgeshire?

My father served on her during WW2 as RAMC Orderly and he has left me some photos and a postcard.

The former liner brought some of the Afrika Corps from Port Said to Hamburg at the end of the war.

Information in a similar vein to that which you have so expertly provided, will be most welcome.

Thank you in anticipation.

Yours sincerely

Rogier

 

[rogier]

Re: WW 2 British Hospital Ship \"El Nil\" (ex Tjerimai)

Actually it might have been HMHS Oxfordshire, for which an association exists according to Navy News, but I have no contact details.

Sorry for any confusion caused.

Rogier

 

[Willie]

Re: WW 2 British Hospital Ship \"El Nil\" (ex Tjerimai)

I served on "el nil" for over two years between1946 and 1948
"Oxfordshire" was certainly a Hospital Ship as were other "Shire" boats "Lancashire and "Somersetshire". I also was under the impression that she was once King Farouk's pleasure yacht I was on her when we brought many of the Afrika Korps home from Egypt to Hamburg. We also brought many Italian P.O.W's of the Abyssinian War from Mombasa to Naples. We also travelled to Durban in South Africa with T>B> patients (six), to Bombay and Karachi, Aden in tthe Gulf. We also brought British casualties from Haifa during the troubles in Palestine as well as a full complement of Russian women from Venice to Southampton (Don't ask me why). I do have Photograohs of the ship and memories of a lot of the people who seved on her. If I can be of anymore help, do not hesitate to contact me. My e mail address is wiiliame2004@tiscali.co.uk.

 

[Moggs58]

Re: WW 2 British Hospital Ship \"El Nil\" (ex Tjerimai)

Hi

After being repatriated from campo 78 in Italy where he spent 2 years as a POW my late father Ptr. Harold Morris ramc was posted to the hospital ship El Nil. While on board he kept his own ships log due to the fact that this runs to 10+ pages [plus I can only type with one finger] here is a short version;

Mar 18 1944 join El Nil at Middlesborough. May 11 sail from mid. arr Naples. May 24 09.45 sail at 20.15 arr Glasgow June 2 17.30.

The following is not a short version but I cannot read some of the names;

June 10 sail Glasgow to Gourock 14.00 June 20 sail from Gourock 16.00 with Llandovery Costal (?). June 22 arr Cowes roads 20.30 June 26 sail to Thomers? Bay [area 5] July 26 sail from [area 5] 06.15 arr Southampton 08.45 July 29 sail Soton. 17.30 arr [area 5] 19.00 aug 14 sail from area 5 05.30 arr Cherbourg 12.00 sail at 20.00 aug 15 arr Soton at 08.00 the El Nil now continues to sail Southampton / Cherbourg. Making 36 round trips the only entries of interest during this time. Sept14 off of c.o.m.n.o articles ?

Sept 24 sail Soton 07.20 off Weymouth 15.20 Sept25 sail at 14.25 Sept26 arr off Morlaix 08.50 Sept27 sail from Morlaix at 15.00 Sept28 arr Soton 08.30
here last trip Soton / Cherbourg docks in Soton on March 7 1945

March 19 1945 sail at 09.35 mar 20 off Falmouth 02.00 for orders sail on mar 26 arr Naples 21.30 April 6 dock Liverpool 08.20 April 9 sail 18.15 April 17 arr Naples 16.00 April 27 arr Liverpool 15.00 may 8 V.E day in Liverpool. June 3 sail Liverpool 17.40 June 16 arr port Said. June 9 passed Algiers Italian POW buried at sea at 4pm. 00.45 July 5 arr Liverpool 20. 15 July 12 sail Liverpool 13.40 July 21 arr Halifax nova Scotia 12.30 Aug 4 arr Liverpool 11.00

This is the last entry in dads log.

In all dad made 41 round trips. On trip 3 El Nil only carried 254 patients on trip 28 she carried 609.in all up till July 6 1945 she carried 19,596 patients. On trip 41 to Canada she had 434 I assume Canadians.

There is also a copy of a letter from the shamrock shipping co ltd Larne Harbourne n. Ireland 29. Dec 1944 thanking the captain and crew for the kindness to 15 survivors of the S.S Slemish sunk by enemy action 23 Dec 44

Dad told me that they were at the D-Day beaches but could find nothing in his log to confirm it.

I have photo of ship and medical staff 14 female 42 male and if anybody would like a copy of log or photos please contact me at Moggs58@hotmail.co.uk

 

[Moggs58]

Re: WW 2 British Hospital Ship \"El Nil\" (ex Tjerimai)

have posted details on ybw but e mail chaned to
moggs58@btinternet.com

 

[Moggs58]

Re: WW 2 British Hospital Ship \"El Nil\" (ex Tjerimai)

the new e mail address for moggs58 is
amorris07@btinter

 

[barbaraseddon]

Also on El Nil

My father, Raymond Seddon, corporal in RAMC (nursing orderly 1st class), served on the El Nil from 1946 to 1948). He is 80 now. He used to live in Bethnal Green in the East end of London in those days, but now lives in Suffolk.

One story he tells refers to the Afrika Korps - the ship was taking German POWs from Egypt to Hamburg. When the ship was docking in Hamburg one of the Germans was so horrified by the state of the city that he jumped overboard and went into the screws.

Names that Dad can remember from the ship are:
John (Smudger) Smith - he lives in Dover. Sgt Robinson, Staff Sgt Williams, Fraser Williams. He can't recall others.

We have a couple of photographs from that period including a large group on a ship (don't know if it is the El Nil). I have it scanned somewhere and will post it when I find it.

Anyone knowing my father please get in touch.

My email address is barbaraseddon@btinternet.com

 

[Pete7]

Actually it might have been HMHS Oxfordshire, for which an association exists according to Navy News, but I have no contact details. Sorry for any confusion caused. Rogier

Found this photo of the Oxfordshire a while back as my father went to Malaya about 56 time on her.

Pete

 

[Martin672]

El Nil

My late father Edgar (Eddie) Kirsop served on the El Nil around 1946. Sadly passed away for many years I am now trying to find out more about his service history or about the El Nil. If anyone has any idea where to go to to find more info about the ship or his history I would be very grateful.

martin672@hotmail.co.uk

Update - have just been given two pics of El Nil by my mother. El Nil in Port Said Sept 1 1947 and in the Med on 1 Dec 1946.

 

[loismartin]

I was checking on this ship and happen to be interested in this forum - I am not at home right now, but I have more facts there. My Mother (single) at the time sailed from New York to Africa via South America I believe in 1942; it was during the war and she had many stories to tell us. The one I do remember is the sister ship that was traveling in front of them was hit by a torpedo and sunk. I have a picture of the El Nil and those that sailed with my Mother's group. My Mom was 92 and she passed away last year.